Refrigeration apparatus



March 22, 1966 J, AMORE 3,241,334

REFRIGERATION APPARATUS Filed May 5, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 1.60 .17 fl/VOAE March 22, 1966 1.. J. AMORE 3,241,334

REFRIGERATION APPARATUS Filed May 5, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l T I J4 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,241,334 REFRIGERATION APPARATUS Leo J. Amore, Drexel Hill, Pa., assignor t0 Philco Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 5, 1964, Ser. No. 365,005 13 Uaims. (Cl. 62-382) The present invention relates to refrigeration apparatus and more particularly to novel facilities for storing and maintaining foods at optimum temperature conditions.

More specifically, the invention has to do with the storage of food, especially fresh meat, within a non-freezing storage compartment of a domestic refrigerator either of the so-called non-frosting type in which cold air from a freezing compartment is discharged into and circulated through the non-freezing compartment, or of the so-called self-defrosting type in which an evaporator plate disposed in the non-freezing compartment serves to cool the air therein.

Because certain foods, particularly meat, should be kept at a temperature lower than the normal temperature range maintained in the non-freezing compartment, the provision of a satisfactory temperature zone for the storage of such foods poses problems and difiiculties, and it is a primary object of this invention to overcome these problems and difiiculties. To that end the invention provides an improved storage arrange-means which assures adequate refrigeration of meat and like foods in a domestic refrigerator of either the non-frosting or the self-defrosting type.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel meat storage receptacle assembly which can be manufactured and sold as an accessory kit, and easily installed by the user in either of the above-mentioned types of domestic refrigerators.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a meat storage receptacle assembly which is adapted for combination with a refrigerator shelf to be supported thereby in that region of the non-freezing compartment where the desired refrigeration effect is best attainable.

The invention moreover is characterized by the fact that the storage receptacle assembly which it provides can be combined with and supported by a standard refrigerator shelf at various locations along its width, thereby affording different arrangements, or selective rearrangement, of food placed within the non-freezing compartment. In accordance with this objective, the invention is featured by providing for lateral sliding engagement of the receptacle support structure with the shelves of a refrigerator, thereby accommodating location changes in the simplest possible manner.

These objectives and characteristic features of the invention are achieved by means of a storage receptacle or pan and a novel member which serves both as a support and as a cover therefor. The receptacle supporting and covering member is such that it can be slid laterally across the width of the storage compartment, and can also be associated with a standard sliding shelf mounted within the non-freezing compartment of the refrigerator. The receptacle in effect becomes part of the shelf and can move as a unit therewith outwardly and inwardly of the compartment, and can slide outwardly and inwardly with respect to the shelf whether the latter lies entirely within or is partially withdrawn from the compartment. The receptacle supporting and covering member is constructed to lie over the shelf and has means for suspending a receptacle below the shelf. The receptacle and its supporting and covering member are constructed to cooperate with bafiie means for directing cold air into and circulating cold air through the receptacle. The receptacle itself is formed with means for assuring free flow of cold air in heat exchange relation not only with the upper and other exposed sides of the stored food but also with the underside of the food resting upon the bottom of the receptacle.

The invention together with its objects and features will be understood more fully from the following description based on the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a storage receptacle assembly embodying the invention and combined with a refrigerator shelf, portions of the receptacle and of its covering and supporting member being broken away to show hidden structural features;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective fragmentary view of the receptacle covering and supporting member, and illustrates the manner in which this member is placed in association with a refrigerator shelf to be slid therealong;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken vertically through a non-frosting refrigerator, and shows the manner in which cooling air is caused to flow into and circulate through the storage receptacle of the assembly illustrated in FIGURE 1, when used in that type of refrigerator;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken vertically through a self-defrosting refrigerator, and shows the manner in which cooling air is caused to flow into and circulate through the storage receptacle of the assembly illustrated in FIGURE 1, when used in. that particular type refrigerator;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a bafile in the form adapted for association with the receptacle assembly shown in FIGURE 1, when used in the non-freezing storage compartment of a non-frosting type refrigerator, a portion of the baffle front wall being broken away;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a bafiie in the form adapted for association with the receptacle assembly as shown in, FIGURE 1 when used in the main storage compartment of a self-defrosting type refrigerator.

With more particular reference to the drawings, the assembly illustrated in FIGURE 1 comprises a refrigerator shelf 10 and a food storage unit 11 which is shown as occupying a central area of the shelf. However, as will be described hereinbelow, the unit 11 is adapted for sliding movement to accommodate placement in different locations along the width of the shelf.

In the illustrated embodiment, the shelf 10* includes a frame having a rear portion 12, a front portion 13, side portions 14 and a plurality of parallel cross members 15 which extend between and are welded or otherwise affixed to the rear and front portions 12 and 13. The cross members 15 are spaced with respect to each other and form the supporting surface of the shelf. A back rail 16 standing above the plane of the shelf and paralleling rear portion 12 is fixed rigidly to the latter and extends for the greater part for the width of the shelf. This back rail not only serves to prevent food or containers placed on the shelf from sliding off rearwardly thereof, but also makes possible the sliding adjustment referred to above. The front portion of the shelf can be and preferably is provided with a decorative piece 17. As seen in the drawings, the rear, front and side portions, and the cross members and back rail, are all made of standard metal rod material, whereas the decorative front piece is made of suitable strip material.

In particular accordance with the invention, the storage unit 11 includes a plate member 18 and a receptacle 19, the plate member serving to support and to cover the receptacle.

As viewed in FIGURES 1 and 2, plate member 18 is of generally rectangular configuration being of a depth corresponding to the depth of shelf 10 and of a width to cover a limited area (approximately A) of the shelf surface. The plate member which is made of flat sheet metal, preferably aluminum, is adapted to lie upon the upper side of the shelf over a series of its cross members 15. An upwardly directed flange at the rear of plate member 18, is provided with rearwardly directed lateral ears 21 each having hook means in the form of a bayonet slot 22 for engagement with the shelf back rail 16 to effect removable and sliding attachment of plate member 18 to the shelf. Diametrically opposed side flanges 2 3 at lateral portions of plate 18, are directed downwardly and depend from the plate to pass edgewise between two adjacent cross members 15. These depending side flanges carry tracks 25 arranged to lie below the plane of the shelf and to confront each other for engagement with storage receptacle 19, which thus becomes suspended from and covered by the plate member.

As shown, receptacle 19 is in the form of a generally rectangular pen having horizontal side flanges, one of which is seen at 26 in FIGURE 1. These flanges 26 extend outwardly for gliding engagement with track members 25. Thus the pan or receptacle 19 can slide in and out with respect to the supporting and covering plate member 18 and associated shelf 10, a front apron 27 being provided on the receptacle to serve as a handle for manipulation of the receptacle. As appears in FIG- URE 1, the receptacle has at a forward portion of its bottom 28, a raised narrow transverse ledge 29 provided with apertures 38. Also as appears in FIGURE 1, the receptacle bottom 28 is formed with raised narrow ribs 31 which extend longitudinally of the receptacle. Rear wall 32 of the receptacle is slanted upwardly so that an upper rear portion 33 of the receptacle projects beyond the suspending and covering plate member 18 when the receptacle is in its normal inward position. Because of this construction, the rearward portion of the receptacle opens into the space outlined by rear flange 20 and cars 21 thus establishing an opening 34 to the receptacle for the purpose presently to be described.

As .hereinabove indicated, the shelf and food storage assembly 10 can be used either with a non-frosting type refrigerator 35 (FIGURE 3) or with self-defrosting type refrigerator 35A (FIGURE 4). These two types of refrigerators have basically identical cabinet constructions and differ chiefly in the manner in which their nonfreezing compartment 36 is cooled.

As seen in FIGURES 3 and 4 both types of refrigerator employ a cabinet comprising an outer shell 37 and an inner liner 38 with insulation 39 therebetween. The interior of the cabinet is divided by means of an insulating partition 40 to define the aforesaid non-freezing compartment 36 and an upper freezing compartment 42, the latter being maintained within a freezing temperature range by function of an evaporator 43. The front of the cabinet is provided with doors 44 and 45 which seal the compartments and give access thereto, and the interior side walls of the non-freezing compartment are provided with shelf-supporting members 46. These members are arranged to suspend a plurality of shelves including above described shelf 10 associated with storage unit 11.

To effect cooling of non-freezing compartment 36 in non-frosting type refrigerator 35 shown in FIGURE 3, there is provided an air duct 47 leading from freezing compartment 42 and discharging, through an outlet 48, into said non-freezing compartment, a fan 49 being associated with the duct to insure proper air flow through said compartments. In this type refrigerator, the associated shelf 10 and unit 11 of the invention are disposed in a location subjacent to the air duct outlet 48, and baffle means 50 is arranged to direct cold air from said outlet into the storage pan or receptacle 19. As shown in FIGURE 5, baflie means 50 is in the general form of a panel 51 having rearwardly bent side wings 52 each provided with means such as tongues 52a, for attachment of the panel to the cabinet inner liner 38 adjacent outlet 48 as seen in FIGURE 3. This baflle means also 4 has a slotted bottom 53 for communication with the exposed opening 34 at the rear of receptacle 19 so that, as represented by flow lines in FIGURE 3, air from duct 47 enters into and circulates through the receptacle.

To effect cooling of non-freezing compartment 36 of self-defrosting type refrigerator 35A illustrated in FIG- URE 4, there is provided a plate evaporator 54 which extends vertically adjacent the rear wall of inner liner 38 and in which, as represented by flow lines in FIGURE 4, sets up a circulatory thermosyphonic motion of air downwardly past the plate evaporator surface and outwardly along the opposite sides of the compartment. With this latter type refrigerator, the associated shelf 10 and unit 11 of the invention is disposed su'bjacent to the plate evaporator. Baflie means 50A is arranged to extend from a region adjacent a lower surface portion of plate evaporator 54 to a region adjacent rearward opening 34 to the receptacle so that cooling air is effectively directed into the receptacle for circulation therethrough as represented in FIGURE 4. As shown in FIGURE 6 baflie means 50A is in the form of a rectangular panel having grooved lower portion 56 for removable seating engagement (see FIGURE 4) with rear flange 20 of the receptacle supporting and covering member 18.

In mounting the assembly of the invention in either type of refrigerator, plate member 18 is held manually in an inclined plane so that, as seen in FIGURE 2 slots 22 in rearwardly disposed ears 21 can be placed in engagement with back rail 16 of sheld 10 which is located in its normal position Within a refrigerator cabinet. While held in inclined position and with slots 22 in engagement with rail 16, plate member 18 can be moved slidably to the right as is represented by arrow R or the left as represented by arrow L so that the plate member can be located with ease in the desired position. When so located the plate member is lowered and caused to pivot about backrail 16 as represented by arrow D in FIGURE 2. Thus tracks 25 and side flanges 23 of plate member 18 enter between adjacent cross members 15 of the shelf, whereupon the plate member becomes locked in operative position and receptacle 19 can be brought into engagement with tracks 25.

If mounted in a refrigerator of the type shown in FIGURE 3, the baffle means 50 is attached to inner liner 38 over air duct outlet 48 by inserting tongues 52a into appropriate holes 57, provided in liner 38 adjacent said outlet. If mounted in a refrigerator of the type shown in FIGURE 4, then bafiie means 50A is attached to upright flange 20 of the plate member 18 by slipping grooved portion 56 into engagement with said flange.

As represented in FIGURES 3 and 4, meat or other food packages 58 stored in receptacle 19 rest on bottom ribs 31 so that, as indicated by the flow lines, air circulating through the receptacle passes beneath the packages as well as about their other surfaces.

When desired, the position of the storage unit 11 with respect to the shelf 10 can be changed. For that purpose it is only necessary to remove receptacle 19 from supporting and covering plate member 18 and to swing the latter upwardly so that tracks 25 clear cross member 15 of the shelf. The plate member then can be moved along back rail 16 of the shelf to the desired position where it is lowered to operative relationship with the shelf to support and cover the receptacle at that particular position.

From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that the invention provides improved facilities for the storage of meat or like food in domestic refrigerators. It will be recognized that the assembly of this invention is especially advantageous because of the fact that it can be used interchangeably with either of the domestic refrigerators now in common use. Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to specific structural details of that embodiment but embraces such changes and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a refrigerator shelf having a plurality of spaced open areas and rearwardly disposed rail means, a food storage assembly comprising a receptacle and a supporting member therefor, the supporting member overlying the shelf and having means for pivotally and slidably attaching said member to said rail means whereby said member can be swung upwardly from the shelf then slid along the rail means and swung downwardly to desired position over the shelf, and receptacle engaging means carried by the receptacle supporting member and arranged thereon to clear the shelf when said member is swung upwardly and to pass through open areas of the shelf to project from the underside thereof when said member is swung downwardly into position overlying the shelf.

2. In combination with a refrigerator shelf having a plurality of spaced open areas and rail means disposed at the rear of and in a plane above the shelf, a food storage assembly comprising a receptacle and a supporting member therefor, the supporting member having rearwardly disposed upwardly directed means for pivotally and slidably attaching said member to said rail means whereby said member can be swung upwardly from the shelf then slid along the rail means and swung downwardly to desired position over the shelf, and receptacle engaging means carried by the receptacle supporting member and arranged thereon to clear the shelf when said member is swung upwardly and to pass through open areas of the shelf to project from the underside thereof when said member is swung downwardly into position overlying the shelf.

3. In combination with a refrigerator shelf having a plurality of spaced open areas and rail means disposed at the rear of and in a plane above the shelf, a food storage assembly comprising a receptacle and supporting means therefor, said supporting means including a plate member having an upwardly directed rear flange and downwardly directed side flanges, said rear flange having rearwardly bent portions provided with means for pivotally and slidably attaching the plate member to the rail means whereby said member can be swung upwardly from the shelf then slid along the rail means and swung downwardly to desired position over the shelf, and confronting track members aflixed to said side flanges and arranged thereon to clear the shelf when said member is swung upwardly and to pass through open areas of the shelf to project from the underside thereof when said member is swung downwardly into position overlying the shelf.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3, in which the means for attaching the plate member to the rail means is in the form of bayonet slots engageable with said raid means.

5. For use with a refrigerator shelf having a plurality of spaced cross members forming the upwardly presented supporting surface of the shelf and further having a rail extending transversely of said members, a food storage assembly comprising a plate member frontally engageable with the mentioned upwardly presented surface of the shelf in provision of support of said member and configured to overlie a predetermined number of its cross members means on the plate member attachable to the mentioned rail of the shelf, confronting track members carried by and depending from the plate member and extensible between adjacent cross members of the shelf to project from the underside thereof and a receptacle in slidable engagement with the track members and supported thereby beneath the shelf to be covered by the plate member, said receptacle being longer than the depth of the shelf so that a rearward portion of the receptacle in engagement with the track members projects rearwardly of and is exposed beyond the rear portion of the plate member.

6. Refrigeration apparatus comprising a storage compartment, means for cooling the compartment, a shelf supported within the compartment and disposed subjacent to the cooling means, said shelf having a plurality of spaced cross members and a rail extending transversely thereof, a plate member overlying the upper side of the shelf and covering a series of its cross members, said plate member having means engageable with the aforesaid rail for attachment of said member to said shelf, confronting track members carried by and depending from the plate member and passing between adjacent cross members of the shelf to project from the underside thereof, a receptacle in slidable engagement with the track members and suspended thereby beneath the shelf to be covered by the plate member, said receptacle having a portion exposed in the region of the cooling means, and bafile means for directing cold air from said cooling means into the receptacle through its exposed portion.

7. Refrigeration apparatus as set forth in claim 6, in which the means engageable with the rail of the shelf for attaching the plate thereto is in the form of bayonet slots disposed for engagement with said rail.

'8. Refrigeration apparatus as set forth in claim 6, in which the means for cooling the storage compartment includes an air duct having an outlet discharging into said compartment, and in which the baffle means is in the form of a panel facing said outlet and disposed above and communicating with the mention exposed portion of the receptacle.

9. Refrigeration apparatus as set forth in claim 6, in which the means for cooling the storage compartment includes a plate evaporator disposed generally vertically within the compartment, and in which the baflie means is in the form of a panel mounted on the mentioned plate member and arranged to extend generally vertically from a region adjacent the exposed portion of the receptacle to a region adjacent the lower portion of the plate evaporator.

10. Refrigeration apparatus comprising a generally rectangular storage compartment, means for cooling the compartment, a shelf of generally rectangular configura- :tion having a width and depth to span the interior of the storage compartment, the shelf being slidably supported within the compartment in generally horizontal position subjaoent to the cooling means and having a plurality of rods extending from back to front and spaced along the full Width of the shelf, the shelf further having an upstanding rail disposed at the rear portion of the shelf and extending for the greater part of its Width, a plate member of generally rectangular configuration having a depth substantially equal to the depth of the shelf and a width less than the full width of the shelf, said member being adapted to lie upon the upper side of the shelf and cover a predetermined number of rods, an upwardly directed flange at the rear of the plate member, said flange being of a width corresponding substantially to the width of the plate member and of a height to extend in the region of the aforesaid mentioned cooling means of the storage compartment, rearwardly directed ears at the opposite end portions of the upwardly directed flange, each of said ears having means engageable with the upstanding rail of the shelf for attachment of said member to said shelf, downwardly directed flanges at the side portions of the plate member and extending substantially for the full depth thereof, confronting track members affixed to the downwardly directed flanges and passing between adjacent rods of the shelf to project from the under side thereof, a generally rectangular receptacle having laterally projecting marginal portions disposed in engagement with the track members to be suspended thereby beneath the shelf and covered by the plate member, said receptacle having a portion extending beyond the rear of the plate and opening into the space outlined by the mentioned upwardly directed flange and rearwardly directed ears, and battle means for directing a flow of cold air from the cooling means to the aforesaid space and into the receptacle through the exposed portion thereof.

11. Refrigeration apparatus as set forth in claim 10, in which the receptacle has a bottom provided with a row of forwardly disposed air flow aperatures and formed with parallel ridges defining spaced-apart air passages along the length of the receptacle for circulation of air beneath food supported by said ridges within the receptacle.

12. Refrigeration apparatus as set forth in claim 10, in which the means for cooling the storage compartment includes an air duct having an outlet discharging into said compartment and in which the bafiie means is in the form of a panel facing said outlet and disposed above and communicating with the space defined by the upwardly directed flange and rearwardly directed ears of the plate member.

13. Refrigeration apparatus as set forth in claim 10, in which the means for cooling a compartment includes a plate evaporator disposed generally vertically within the storage compartment, and in which the bafiie means is in the form of a panel mounted on the upwardly directed CD flange of the plate member, the panel being arranged to extend generally vertically from a region adjacent the lower portion of the plate evaporator to the space defined by the upwardly directed flange and rearwardly directed ears of the plate member.

References ited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,774,313 8/1930 Braeutigam 312270 X 1,830,044 11/1931 Vandoren 312-270 X 2,089,359 8/1937 Goulooze 312-246 X 2,242,903 5/1944 Crimmel 312-270 X 2,709,900 6/1955 Zearfoos et a1. 62288 3,063,772 11/1962 Kennedy 62382 3,067,588 12/1962 Whitmore 62382 X 3,075,366 1/1963 Jung 62382 3,108,455 10/1963 Hanson 62382 ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

LLOYD L. KING, Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A REFRIGERATOR SHELF HAVING A PLURALITY OF SPACED OPEN AREAS AND REARWARDLY DISPOSED RAIL MEANS, A FOOD STORAGE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A RECEPTACLE AND A SUPPORTING MEMBER THEREFOR, THE SUPPORTING MEMBER OVERLYING THE SHELF AND HAVING MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY AND SLIDABLY ATTACHING SAID MEMBER TO SAID RAIL MEANS WHEREBY SAID MEMBER CAN BE SWUNG UPWARDLY FROM THE SHELF THEN SLID ALONG THE RAIL MEANS AND SWUNG DOWNWARDLY TO DESIRED POSITION OVER THE SHELF, AND RECEPTACLE ENGAGING MEANS CARRIED BY THE RECEPTACLE SUPPORTING MEMBER AND ARRANGED THEREON TO CLEAR THE SHELF WHEN SAID MEMBER IS SWUNG UPWARDLY AND TO PASS THROUGH OPEN AREAS OF THE SHELF TO PROJECT FROM THE UNDERSIDE THEREOF'' WHEN SAID MEMBER IS SWUNG DOWNWARDLY INTO POSITION OVERLYING THE SHELF. 